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Eleven weeks ago, he had walked into the media room at the Britannia Stadium wearing the look of a beaten man. Red-eyed and broken-voiced, he sat under the spotlight and took the blows that were coming his way. He had no choice but to.

Seven weeks on, the smile was back. Same stadium, same room, but this felt like a different world.

Brendan Rodgers shows his appreciation to the fans at the end of the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Liverpool at Britannia Stadium (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Rodgers admitted his last visit to Stoke had been the biggest humiliation of his managerial career. And though he had tried to play down the significance of that experience in the build-up to this game - “a one-off,” he said – he knew exactly how much scrutiny he and his side were under here.

They delivered.

Not pretty, not elegant, and with little sign of the free-wheeling style which had made Liverpool such an irresistible force two seasons ago. But better. Stronger, braver, faster, sharper. And victorious.

That it took a strike of rare quality to win the game is irrelevant – for Liverpool, this was about laying to rest the demons, about proving they had the fortitude to go away from home and stand up for themselves. It’s only one game, but it’s a significant step in the right direction.

Philippe Coutinho scores against Stoke

For Rodgers, it is the chance to breathe out, if only temporarily. Back in May, he had walked past the away end to jeers and abuse from his own supporters. Not nice, but even he understood why.

Not this time, though.

There will be criticism of some of his decisions, of course, and not every doubter will be won over by a late win away from home. Liverpool’s performance was far from fantastic, but results are what make the difference for a manager. Rodgers learnt that the hard way last season.

What the rest of this campaign holds, time will tell. But after embarrassment at the Britannia less than three months ago, Liverpool took a big stride forward here.